Providence, R.I. – The Providence Bruins took down the visiting Utica Comets for the second time in two nights with a 3-2 shootout victory on Saturday evening. The Bruins had a 5-4 overtime win over the Comets on Friday night.
The Comets Samuel Laberge opened the scoring at the 13:58 mark of the first period and the Bruins Georgii Merkulov netted the tying goal at 12:57 mark. The first period ended with the teams knotted at 1-1. The second period was scoreless as most of the game was dump and chase with neither team able to sustain any offensive zone time. Utica opened the third period on the power play and 52 seconds in gave up a breakaway to the Bruins Patrick Brown, Utica goal tender Akira Schmid made the save but a streaking Oskar Steen put home the rebound for the shorthanded tally and the lead. The Comets, still on the power play got the tying score from Andre Ghantous fifty seconds later. After a scoreless overtime the Bruins Jayson Megna put home the winner in the second round of the shootout. Bruins goalie Michael DiPietro stopped all three Comets in the shootout for the win.
The win keeps the Bruins ahead of the surging Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for second Place and first round bye in the Atlantic Division.
See my gallery of game photos by Brian Stone Sr for The Calder Times
